AFRICA Independent Television (AIT) and Channels Television have issued public apologies to the Department of State Services (DSS) over their reports on the agency’s alleged involvement in the Lagos State House of Assembly crisis on February 17.
During its News Hour program, AIT News formally retracted its initial report, clarifying that it was based on eyewitness accounts.
The station admitted that the information was incomplete and inadvertently misrepresented the role of the DSS.
In an official statement, AIT stated:
“AIT News wishes to apologise to the Department of State Services, DSS, for the news item broadcast during our bulletin on Monday, 17th February 2025, regarding the presence of DSS officers at the Lagos State House of Assembly. Our intention was not to malign or embarrass the DSS, an institution we hold in the highest regard for its critical role in safeguarding our nation.
“Our reporting was based on eyewitness accounts and information obtained from sources at the Lagos State House of Assembly. However, we recognise that the report may have been incomplete and unintentionally misrepresented the service and the presence at the State House of Assembly. We hereby regret any embarrassment this may have caused.”
Meanwhile, Channels TV, on Friday, also offered an apology during its program, Politics Today, anchored by Seun Okinbaloye, where the former Assistant Director-General of the DSS, Muhammed Ngoshe, was a guest.
Okinbaloye stated that the situation had been misinterpreted with initial videos portraying a picture of lawmakers shocked by the DSS presence, suggesting an invasion by the DSS.
However, it was later revealed that the clerk of the House had formally requested the DSS’s presence for protection.
Okinbaloye said, “It came to light in some of the letters that we actually now saw that it was the clerk of the Lagos Assembly who actually wrote for DSS protection at the House of Assembly. But if you look at the video, it was made to appear as though the lawmakers were fighting to get inside and they were shocked that DSS was there.
“I think it’s right to apologise to the service to say the use of invasion might not be the right word to use because it was portrayed as though the DSS invaded, they were not invited, but it came to light that there was no decency in how they carried out their work.
He noted that subsequent revelations confirmed that the Lagos Assembly Clerk had indeed requested DSS protection.
“If you look at the video, it was made to appear as though the lawmakers were fighting to get inside and they were shocked that DSS was there,” Seun explained. “And I think it’s right to apologise to the service to say, I mean, the use of invasion might not be the right word to use.”
Further clarifying the legal authority of the DSS, Seun stated:
“You know, clearly you’re stating, and from what we even understand, that DSS has the power under the law to move into any place as they deem fit. Is that right?”
In response, Ngoshe expressed appreciation for the clarification and the acknowledgment of the DSS’s role, while also calling for official apologies to be communicated directly to the agency.
“I hope the apologies will be carried to the DSS officially. Because we need to stop some of those things,” he stated.
Recall that the DSS had threatened legal action against both media stations, accusing them of publishing false and malicious reports.